Correlation between Mental Adjustment to Cancer and Anxiety.
- Author:
Pok Ja OH
1
Author Information
1. Department of Nursing, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Korea. ohpj@syu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Cancer patient;
Mental Adjustment;
Anxie
- MeSH:
Anxiety;
Depression;
Humans
- From:Journal of Korean Oncology Nursing
2009;9(1):23-30
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: This study was to identify the relationship between mental adjustment to cancer and anxiety. METHOD: This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design. A total of 124 ambulatory cancer patients completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA and Pearson correlation. RESULTS: There was a significantly negative correlation between anxiety and fighting spirit which was adaptive adjustment to cancer (r=-0.29, p<0.001). However, anxiety had significantly positive correlation with helplessness/hopelessness (r=0.38, p<0.001), anxious preoccupation (r=0.55, p<0.001), and fatalism (r=0.22, p<0.05) to cancer. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients' mental adjustment is correlated with the degree of the psychosocial distress. Anxious preoccupation and helplessness/hopelessness are the most maladaptive adjustments whereas fighting spirit is one of the most adaptive adjustment to cancer.
